Draft-rigging for railway-cars.



PATENTBD DEG. 18, 1906.

W-H. MINBR. DRAFT RIGGING FOR RAILWAY CARS.

APPLICATION FILED JULYlZ, 1906.

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WILLIAM H. MINER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR` TO W. H. MINERCOMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 18, 1906.

Application filed July 12,1906. Serial'No, 325,805.

To all whom it nfl/ay concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. MINER, a citizen of the United States,residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Draft-Rigging for Railway-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in draft-rigging for railway-cars.

The object of my invention is to provide a draft-rigging of a strong,simple, eflicient, and durable construction, which will operate tocenter the draw-bar and in which the devices for centering the draw-barwill also cooperate to cushion the draw-bar or to retard the expansionof the springs.

My invention consists in the means I employ to practically accomplishthis object or resultthat is to say, it consists, in connection with thedraw-bar, side plates or stopcastings, springs, and followers of anysuitable draft-rigging construction, in providing the draw-bar withdouble-incline frictionshoes, one on each side thereof, and the sideplates or stop-castings with sockets or bearings to receivetransversely-sliding frictionblocks engaging the friction-shoes on thesides of the draw-bar and with springs operating to` press thesefriction-blocks against the friction-shoes on the draw-bar, so thatthese transversely-arranged opposing springs will at once center thedraw-bar and through the interposed friction blocks or shoes also addmaterially to the cushioning power of the draft-rigging by-thefrictional resistance incident to the frictional engagement of thefriction-blocks and friction-shoes as the drawbar moves longitudinallyback and forth.

`My invention also consists in the novel construction of parts anddevices and in the novel combinations of parts and devices herein shownand described.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a plan view, partly in horizontal section, of a draftriggingfor railway-cars embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail perspectiveview of one of the friction-blocks, and Fig. 3 is a detail perspectiveview of one of the frictionshoes.

In the drawings, A A represent the center sills or longitudinalframe-pieces of the car,

to which the draft-rigging is secured, and A the end sill.

B is the coupler; B, thefdraw-bar, B2, the draw-bar strap or yoke; C C,tandem-arranged springs, D, thelsidegplates or stopcastings., and E thefollowers, the front and rear followers preferably having rounded facese to engage the draw-bar'and draw-bar strap, and thus permit the frontend of the draw-bar to more freely swing laterally from side to side, asrequired when the train passes around curves. The side plates orstopcastings D have the customary shoulders or stops d for the followersto abut agamst, and at their front ends'the same are provided withhorizontally and transversely extending sockets or bearings d to receivethe transversely-sliding friction-blocks F, one on each side of thedraw-bar. The bearings or sockets d preferably havetransversely-extending anges d2, integral with the side plates orstop-castings D, to give a bearing of some length to thetransversely-sliding frictionblocks F.

G G are friction-shoes on the draw-bar and preferably made in separatepieces and secured in suitable sockets or recesses l) in the draw-bar,one on each side thereof. These friction-shoes Ghave double-incline oroppositely-extending friction-faces g, which fit and engagecorresponding friction-facesf on the friction-blocks F. Thefriction-shoes G are secured in their seats or sockets in the draw-barby a connecting bolt or rivet g, and the draw-bar B is preferablyprovided with a central longitudinal rib b2 to increase its strength andafford additional bearing for the rivets b3, which connect the draw-barstrap B2 with the draw-bar B.

H H are coiled springs bearing against the transversely-slidingfriction-blocks F and operating to hold the same in close frictionalengagement with the friction-shoes G. The

springs H bear at their outer ends in a springholder K, secured by bolts7c to the center sills or frame-pieces A of the car, the springholdersbeing preferably in the form of closed housings. Smaller springs 71,may, if desired, fit within the springs H.

The side plates or stop-castings D may preferably be furnished withflanges da, which iit in the recesses in the longitudinal sills orframe-pieces of the car, to which the side IOO lates or stop-castingsare secured, thus affbrding an additonal anchorage therefor.

In operation the transverselyarranged springs H and blocks F bearingagainst the shoes G on the draw-bar not, only serve to center thedraw-bar or restore it to its central position after it has been swungto one side, but also add materially to the cushioning power of thedraft-rigging springs C C, owing to the friction resistance between thefriction-blocks F and friction-shoes G, as the draw-bar moves back andforth. The transverse springs H, friction-blocks F, and friction-shoes Galso serve to retard the movement of the draw-bar due to the expansionof the springs.

I claim- 1. In a draft-rigging, the combination with' the draw-bar, sideplates or, stop-castings, springs and followers, of double-inclinefriction-shoes secured to the draw-bar, one on each side thereof inadvance of said springs and followers, transversely-movablefrictionblocks engaging' said friction-shoes, and transversely-arrangeddraw bar centering springs bearing against said friction-blocks,substantially as specified.

2. In a draft-rigging, the combination with the draw-bar side plates orstop-castings, springs and followers, of double-incline friction-shoessecured to the draw-bar, one on each side thereof in advance of saidsprings and followers, transversely-movable frictionblocks engaging saidfriction shoes, and transversely-arranged draw bar centering springsbearing against said friction-blocks, said side plates or stop-castingsbeing provided with sockets or bearings to receive saidtransversely-movable friction-blocks, substantially as specified.

3. In a draft-rigging, the combination with the draw-bar side plates orstop-castings,l

transversely-movable friction-blocks engaging said friction-shoes anddraw-bar-centering springs bearing against said friction-blocks wherebythe draw-bar is centered laterally and its movement cushionedlongitudinally, substantially as specified.

4. In a draft-rigging, the combination with the draw-bar, side plates orstop-castings, springs and followers, of reversely-inclinedfriction-shoes on the draw-bar ifi advance of said springs andfollowers, transversely-movable friction-blocks engaging saidfrictionshoes, transversely-arranged draw-bar-cenltering springs bearingagainst said frictionthe draw-bar, side plates or stop-castings,

springs and followers, of reversely-inclined friction-shoes on thedraw-bar in advance of said springs and followers, transversely-movablefriction-blocks engaging said frictionshoes, transversely-arrangeddraw-bar-centering springs bearing against said frictionblocks, andholders for said springs, said side plates or st op-castings havingbearings therein for said friction-blocks, substantially as specified.

WILLIAM H. MINER.

Witnesses:

H. M. MUNDAY, EDMUND AnoooK.

